1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bicycles and more particularly to an apparatus for side-by-side interconnection of two standard bicycles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many instances people who would like to ride a bicycle for transportation, exercise, and pleasure purposes refrain from doing so due to their dislike for riding alone and/or their lack of skills required to balance and steer such mechanisms.
Several types of velocipedes have been employed in attempts to overcome the above discussed reasons why some people do not ride a bicycle. One such mechanism is the well known tandem bicycle which does not enhance conversation and therefore is not particularly attractive to those people who dislike riding alone. Also, the balancing and handling characteristics of tandem bicycle are not materially improved over those same characteristics of a standard bicycle and the tandem bicycle cannot be converted to a conventional bicycle.
Adult size three wheel tricycles have become popular in recent times, and such structures of course, are inherently stable and therefore the need for acquiring the skill of balance is minimized. Such mechanisms to not solve the companionship problem and are considerably heavier than a bicycle due to the third wheel and the necessary frame and other structural devices. These mechanisms also are relatively expensive and cannot be converted to a conventional bicycle.
Several devices have been proposed for interconnecting standard bicycles in a side-by-side relationship, and such devices have not achieved commercial acceptance for various reasons. In general, devices for interconnecting standard bicycles in a side-by-side relationship have been relatively complex, expensive, and in some instances require modification of one or both of the bicycles. Such devices have also failed to take into account the various size differences which exist between different brands of so-called standard bicycles. Further, these prior art devices make no provisions for altering the steering geometry of the interconnected bicycles to achieve ideal steering and handling characteristics, and such devices are usually coupled to the bicycles in a fashion so that it is difficult to convert back to two disconnected standard bicycles if desired.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved bicycle interconnecting apparatus which solves some of the problems of the prior art.